The 40 Meditation Subjects and the Altar Furnishings at this Dhamma Center

This chapter is based on a Dhamma Talk I gave at the Vipassana Towers Meditation Hall onMay 22, 1997.

Tonight‘s Dhamma talk is about the 40 meditation subjects of the concentration and insighttechniques of vipassana. Traditionally the major subject for Buddhist meditators is that of thebreath. But there are actually 40 different subjects available. Tonight‘s talk consists of a brieftour of the 40 subjects and also of the altar furnishings which have a close connection to the 40meditation subjects. The 40 meditation subjects are traditionally considered the subjects ofsamatha, or calm abiding, designed to strengthen concentration. But inside these 40 subjects wecan also find the four foundations of mindfulness, which covers the subjects of vipassana, orinsight meditation.

Here at this Dhamma center we have an altar which is very nice looking and pleasant to view fordevotional purposes. But it is much more than that. An altar represents several things. It can beseen for its devotional functions and it can also be seen for its value as meditation subjects.Some might see an altar such as this one in totally sectarian terms, for example, Buddhist andBuddhist only. But the altar can also be seen in non-sectarian terms as well. There are many ofthe 40 meditation subjects right here on the altar.

(See chapter 20, for the full list of the 40 meditation subjects.)The first ten meditation subjects are the ―kasinas‖ which are roughly translated as ―devices.The meditator chooses a device to strengthen concentration. The device is the subject and themeditator remains in the present moment with one-pointedness concentration on the device. Therest of the world is not shut-off, no the meditator simply places the attention of the mind, theconcentration on the device, but not at the ―closing‖ off of the rest of the world. After buildinggood concentration on the device the eyes are closed with the intention of ―seeing the afterimageof the device in the mind. Such kasina subjects are designed to build concentrationpowers and can put the meditator into a meditative state of absorption or trance. These jhanicexperiences are not enlightenment experiences but are considered by many to be ―steppingstones‖on the way to enlightenment.

We have a fountain on the altar which recirculates water through the pump. This can be seen asrepresenting the devotional aspect of discipline. It can also be used as the meditation subject ofthe Water Kasina. It is the same water that is recirculating all the time. Or is it? As the Buddhaand also Greek philosophers stated, ―you can not step into the same river twice.‖ Every momenteverything is constantly changing. We know from modern science that the chemicalcomposition of water is always changing. And then there are the drain pipes on the ceilingwhere water is coming down through the drains when a resident uses their kitchen sink orflushes a toilet. There‘s something else to watch and focus attention, awareness on, as ameditation subject.

The Fire Kasina can be seen on the altar with the many candles that are lit on the altar. Fireor light represents meditation or wisdom and it can also be seen in the devotional aspect as ashrine to the Buddha and the teachings. Or it can be a totally non-sectarian meditation subject oryou can see it as being both a devotion and meditation subject.

In the Path of Purification and in the Path of Freedom, written by the Buddhist scholars,Buddhaghosa in the fifth century and Upatissa in the first century, respectively, they instruct themeditator in detail on the meditation subjects. A meditator using the Air or Wind Kasina is to goto a place where a tree can be seen moving by the wind. Since wind is invisible the subject is tobe viewed by watching the wind on the limbs and leaves of a tree. Here on the altar we haveartificial trees which have leaves and limbs moving from the wind of the ventilation systemwhich brings outside air into the building. On the other corner of the altar we have a Buddhastatue with several artificial trees around it. This represents that the Buddha got enlightenmentunder a tree.

Elements of the Earth Kasina can be seen in the incense which is most known for its devotionalpurposes of offering to Buddha and also the food and the flowers. Food represents generosity,incense represents patience, and flowers represent exertion or effort.After the ten kasinas there are the ten cemetery contemplations. A total of ten of the 40 subjectsare on the contemplation of corpses in their different stages of decomposing. This is because wetend to forget our mortality, always putting off spiritual concerns and development. Itis not a common meditation subject, except in some Southeast Asian countries, but it is a veryimportant one. By seeing a corpse, it wakes us to the urgency of our practice. We know that weare of the same nature and will die one day. It becomes much more apparent when we see areal dead body.

Viewing a corpse at a funeral home does not count, there the embalming process and make-uphides the fact of the natural deterioration of the human body. Unfortunately my wife and I havehad the unpleasant task in our owner-management duties here at this apartment building of doingthe cemetery contemplations. When we first bought the building many of the tenants wereseniors and many died in their apartments. Some had no close friends or relatives in the city andthe corpse would decay quite a bit in the apartment before we would discover the body. Manytimes it was the smell of the decay that would make us open the door to check on the tenant.Some have receding skin, discoloration, blood all settling to the lowest point. The natural decayof the body is much different from the embalming process and viewing that is done at funeralhomes. It wakes you to the reality of death and gives you a sense of urgency in regard to thepractice. Not all were elderly and we all hear in the news of very young people passing away.Athletes have dropped dead in their twenties. Nearly everyone here today is over 30, thus, deathis imminent, inevitable.

At some Southeast Asian monasteries there is a room with a dead body in it for viewing. Thebodies are from people who died naturally and donated their bodies to assist others in theirpractice. It is a rare practice, but we can still do this, by imagining the different stages of thedead body. It might seem quite morbid, but death is a fact of life which we will not escape. Thismeditation is simply to remind you of your mortal state, that there is no time like the present tofocus on your practice.

Another meditation subject is the Contemplation of the Buddha. Our main statue on the altar isthat of Buddha, the Shakyamuni Buddha, The Buddha. The red Buddha statue with the handforming two circles is the Amitabha Buddha or the Buddha of the Pure Land or WesternParadise (a heavenly realm which Pure Land Buddhists hope to attain where once thereenlightenment will be easier). The statues in the ―Earth-Witness‖ position are that of theBuddha. Earth witness is demonstrated with one hand reaching for the ground while the other isin his lap. The statue of the ―laughing buddha‖ with the hands in the air and the large belly, isactually a monk named Hotei. He was a Buddhist monk from China. Many people think thatthis is the Buddha. But actually he was just a Chinese monk. He is sometimes seen withchildren around him, in some statues. This is because he liked to give candy to children. Hoteiis the most common statue at Chinese restaurants, which is why so many people think that hewas the Buddha. The ―real‖ Buddha, from India did not have a large stomach and is almostalways shown in the seated meditation posture. Meditation on the Buddha is a typical subject fordevotional people. There are 40 different meditation subjects because people have differenttemperaments and personalities.

The Amitabha Buddha and also the Kwan-Yin statue can be seen as different representations ofdevas, another meditation subject. Kwan-Yin is the goddess of mercy or compassion. Angel is amore appropriate term for devas since they are in a heavenly existence, but still subject tosamsara, the round of existences. Devas are impermanent angels who still face re-birth.Four of the meditation subjects are the experiences of the form-less jhanas, that of the Spheres ofthe Infinity of Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothingness, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. There are 31 planes of existence in the Buddhist cosmology. Fortunately most ofthe planes are heavenly realms. I have a strong interest in the cosmology which begins withfaith, but the best part about this practice is that it can also be experienced. You do not haveto just believe in the cosmology. The heavenly realms can be experienced through the jhanas.The most common meditation subjects are the awareness of breath, awareness of physicalsensations, contemplation of the mind, and contemplation on the Dhamma. These four subjectsare the focus of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse by the Buddha. Awareness ofbreath is the most common and for good reason as it helps to center our mind-body to the innercalm. In my own practice I am currently working with contemplation of the Dhamma withattention to the five aggregates and observing the universal characteristics of impermanence, nopermanent self, and suffering.

But this talk is to let you know that there are 40 subjects available and you do not have to focuson only the breath all the time. Choose a subject that is fitting to your temperament orpersonality and practice with patience.